HPV Vaccine Knowledge and Perceived Risk of Cervical Cancer among Female College Students in Taiwan

Wang, Hsiu-Ho,Wu, Shiao-Ying Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.12

Aims: The study targeted the HPV vaccine knowledge and perceived risk of cervical cancer among female college students in Taiwan as well as the relationship between knowledge of the HPV vaccine and perceived risk of cervical cancer. Materials and Method: The results of this study on female college students are described using descriptive and correlation designs. A convenience sampling approach was employed with a self-filling structured questionnaire. Results: A total of 150 students completed the questionnaire. Values were 7.49 for the mean HPV vaccine knowledge scale and 18.0 for their mean perceived risk of cervical cancer scale. HPV vaccine knowledge was positively correlated with perceived risk of cervical cancer. Conclusions: The findings of this study can serve as a reference for future HPV prevention in Taiwan.

Combined Assessment of Serum Alpha-Synuclein and Rab35 is a Better Biomarker for Parkinson’s Disease

Hung-Li Wang,Chin-Song Lu,Tu-Hsueh Yeh,Yu-Ming Shen,Yi-Hsin Weng,Ying-Zu Huang,Rou-Shayn Chen,Yu-Chuan Liu,Yi-Chuan Cheng,Hsiu-Chen Chang,Ying-Ling Chen,Yu-Jie Chen,Yan-Wei Lin,Chia Chen Hsu,Huang-Li 대한신경과학회 2019 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.15 No.4

Background and Purpose It is essential to develop a reliable predictive serum biomarker for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Te accumulation of alpha-synuclein (αSyn) and up-regulated expression of Rab35 participate in the etiology of PD. Te purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a useful predictive biomarker for PD. Methods Serum levels of αSyn or Rab35 were determined in serum samples from 59 sporadic PD patients, 19 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients, 20 multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients, and 60 normal controls (NC). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated to determine the diagnostic accuracy of αSyn or/and Rab35 in discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients. Results The levels of αSyn and Rab35 were increased in PD patients. The serum level of Rab35 was positively correlated with that of αSyn in PD patients. Compared to analyzing αSyn or Rab35 alone, the combined analysis of αSyn and Rab35 produced a larger area under the ROC curve and performed better in discriminating PD patients from NC, MSA patients, or PSP patients. When age was dichotomized at 55, 60, 65, or 70 years, the combined assessment of αSyn and Rab35 for classifying PD was better in the group below the cutof age than in the group above the cutof age. Conclusions Combined assessment of serum αSyn and Rab35 is a better biomarker for discriminating PD patients from NC or atypical parkinsonian patients, and is a useful predictive biomarker for younger sporadic PD patients.

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone, a Tropomyosin-Kinase Related Receptor B Agonist, Produces Fast-Onset Antidepressant-Like Effects in Rats Exposed to Chronic Mild Stress

Hsin-An Chang,Ying-Hsiu Wang,Che-Se Tung,Chin-Bin Yeh,Yia-Ping Liu 대한신경정신의학회 2016 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.13 No.5

Objective Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its specific receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase (TrkB), play important roles in treating depression. In this experiment, we examined whether 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, a novel potent TrkB agonist, could reverse the behavioral and biochemical abnormalities induced by the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm in rats. Methods SD rats were exposed to a battery of stressors for 56 days. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (5 and 20 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally during the last 28 days of the CMS paradigm. Rats were tested in sucrose consumption test (SCT), forced-swimming test (FST) and elevated T-maze (ETM). Serum corticosterone levels and hippocampal BDNF levels of the rats were measured. Results Four-week CMS on the rats induced their depression-like behavior in SCT. The CMS-reduced sucrose consumption was reversed starting from 7 days after the 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (20 mg/kg) treatment and remained across the subsequent treatment regime. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, when given at 5 mg/kg for 3 weeks, reduced the immobility time in the FST in the CMS-subjected rats. Additionally, the 4-week treatment with 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (20 mg/kg) attenuated the CMS-induced increase in anxiety-like behavior in the ETM. For the CMS-subjected rats, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone treatment dose-dependently reduced their serum corticosterone levels but increased their hippocampal BDNF levels only at 5 mg/kg. Conclusiona 7,8-dihydroxyflavone was beneficial for both depression and anxiety-like behaviors, and may exert fast-onset antidepressant effects. This provides a new insight into the pharmacological management of depression. ObjectiveaaBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its specific receptor, tropomyosin-related kinase (TrkB), play important roles in treating depression. In this experiment, we examined whether 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, a novel potent TrkB agonist, could reverse the behavioral and biochemical abnormalities induced by the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm in rats. MethodsaaSD rats were exposed to a battery of stressors for 56 days. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (5 and 20 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally during the last 28 days of the CMS paradigm. Rats were tested in sucrose consumption test (SCT), forced-swimming test (FST) and elevated T-maze (ETM). Serum corticosterone levels and hippocampal BDNF levels of the rats were measured. ResultsaaFour-week CMS on the rats induced their depression-like behavior in SCT. The CMS-reduced sucrose consumption was reversed starting from 7 days after the 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (20 mg/kg) treatment and remained across the subsequent treatment regime. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, when given at 5 mg/kg for 3 weeks, reduced the immobility time in the FST in the CMS-subjected rats. Additionally, the 4-week treatment with 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (20 mg/kg) attenuated the CMS-induced increase in anxiety-like behavior in the ETM. For the CMS-subjected rats, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone treatment dose-dependently reduced their serum corticosterone levels but increased their hippocampal BDNF levels only at 5 mg/kg. Conclusion 7,8-dihydroxyflavone was beneficial for both depression and anxiety-like behaviors, and may exert fast-onset antidepressant effects. This provides a new insight into the pharmacological management of depression.

The Presence of Borrelia valaisiana-Related Genospecies in Ticks and a Rodent in Taiwan

Chun-Man Huang,Hsi-Chieh Wang,Ying-Chun Lin,Shih-Hui Chiu,Ying-Shun Kao,Pei-Lung Lee,Hsiu-I Wang,Ruei-Chen Hung,Huang-I Chan,Ho-Sheng Wu,Chuen-Sheue Chiang,Jung-Jung Mu 한국미생물학회 2010 The journal of microbiology Vol.48 No.6

A field survey was conducted to investigate the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) in six counties of Taiwan. Spirochetes were successfully isolated from one rodent ear sample out of 485 rodent ears and 53live, fed tick (Ixodes granulatus) samples. The spirochetes were confirmed to be B. burgdorferi s.l. by real-time PCR. In addition, 23 of 113 tick samples were tested positive for Borrelia DNA according to real-time PCR. The Borrelia isolate from the rodent and the 23 Borrelia DNA samples from the ticks were identified as B. valaisiana-related genospecies by phylogenetic analysis based on flagellin gene sequences. These findings suggest that the Borrelia valaisiana-related strains are maintained in a zoonotic cycle between tick vectors and reservoir hosts in Taiwan.

Monitoring of genetically close Tsaiya duck populations using novel microsatellite markers with high polymorphism

Lai, Fang-Yu,Chang, Yi-Ying,Chen, Yi-Chen,Lin, En-Chung,Liu, Hsiu-Chou,Huang, Jeng-Fang,Ding, Shih-Torng,Wang, Pei-Hwa Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2020 Animal Bioscience Vol.33 No.6

Objective: A set of microsatellite markers with high polymorphism from Tsaiya duck were used for the genetic monitoring and genetic structure analysis of Brown and White Tsaiya duck populations in Taiwan. Methods: The synthetic short tandem repeated probes were used to isolate new microsatellite markers from the genomic DNA of Tsaiya ducks. Eight populations, a total of 566 samples, sourced from Ilan Branch, Livestock Research Institute were genotyped through novel and known markers. The population genetic variables were calculated using optional programs in order to describe and monitor the genetic variability and the genetic structures of these Tsaiya duck populations. Results: In total 24 primer pairs, including 17 novel microsatellite loci from this study and seven previously known loci, were constructed for the detection of genetic variations in duck populations. The average values for the allele number, the effective number of alleles, the observed heterozygosity, the expected heterozygosity, and the polymorphism information content were 11.29, 5.370, 0.591, 0.746, and 0.708, respectively. The results of analysis of molecular variance and principal component analysis indicated a contracting Brown Tsaiya duck cluster and a spreading White Tsaiya duck cluster. The Brown Tsaiya ducks and the White Tsaiya ducks with Pekin ducks were just split to six clusters and three clusters when K was set equal to 6 and 3 in the Bayesian cluster analysis. The individual phylogenetic tree revealed eight taxa, and each individual was assigned to its own population. Conclusion: According to our study, the 24 novel microsatellite markers exhibited a high capacity to analyze relationships of inter- and intra-population in those populations with a relatively limited degree of genetic diversity. We suggest that duck farms in Taiwan could use the new (novel) microsatellite set to monitor the genetic characteristics and structures of their Tsaiya duck populations at various intervals in order to ensure quality breeding and conservation strategies.

The Effectiveness of Dignity Therapy as Applied to End-of-Life Patients with Cancer in Taiwan: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Yu-Chi Li,Yin-Hsun Feng,Hui-Ying Chiang,Shu-Ching Ma,Hsiu-Hung Wang 한국간호과학회 2020 Asian Nursing Research Vol.14 No.4

Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of dignity therapy for end-of-lifepatients with cancer. Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental study design with a nonrandomized controlled trial. Dignity therapy was used as an intervention in the experimental group, and general visit was used in thecontrol group. Thirty end-of-life patients with cancer were recruited, with 16 in the experimental groupand 14 in the control group. Outcome variables were the participants' dignity, demoralization, anddepression. Measurements were taken at the following time points: pre-test (before intervention), posttest1 (the 7th day), and post-test 2 (the 14th day). The effectiveness of the intervention in the twogroups was analyzed using the generalized estimating equation, with the p value set to be less than .05. Results: After dignity therapy, the end-of-life patients with cancer reflected increased dignity significantly[b ¼ 37.08, standard error (SE) ¼ 7.43, Wald c2 ¼ 24.94, p < .001], whereas demoralization(b¼ 39.55, SE ¼ 6.42,Wald c2 ¼ 37.95, p < .001) and depression (b¼ 12.01, SE ¼ 2.17,Wald c2 ¼ 30.71,p < .001) were both reduced significantly. Conclusion: Clinical nurses could be adopting dignity therapy to relieve psychological distress andimprove spiritual need in end-of-life patients with cancer. Future studies might be expanded tolooking at patients vis- a-vis end-of-life patients without cancer to improve their psychologicaldistress. These results provide reference data for the care of end-of-life patients with cancer fornursing professionals.